3 To Appear In Court In Detroit Princess Shootings

DETROIT (WWJ) – The three people charged in the so-called Detroit Princess Riverboat shootings over the summer will be in court Friday.

Husband and wife, LaToya Mitchell-Thomas and Michael Thomas are facing nearly 30 charges in the incident that left five people wounded.

Attorney James Galen represents the third person charged, LaDon Richards, who is accused of firing back at the Thomas’ in defense of her family.

“Any human being, I believe, in the same circumstances that my client found herself in, watching three of her family members get shot, trying to do the right thing; she call the police three times, she should have never been charged,” Galen told reporters Thursday. “We’re going to do everything we can to exonerate my client and to walk her home with all charges gone.”

“Law enforcement never sought a warrant for my client,” Galen added. “(Wayne County Prosecutor) Kym L. Worthy’s office took it upon themselves to do investigative subpoenas and Detroit Police Department personnel never asked that my client be arrested.

This afternoon, Worthy released statement to WWJ Newsradio 950 saying her office, “asked Detroit Police to do a follow-up investigation into the incident — re-interviewing all relevant witnesses,” and that “the proper people have been charged.”

The shooting took place following an altercation between two families during a party aboard the Detroit Princess Riverboat in August. The actual gunfire occurred after the boat had docked.